Injuries force Cowboys to shuffle roster again

OXNARD, Calif. – The injury-depleted Dallas Cowboys continued to shuffle their roster Monday, naming replacements for a pair of defensive starters and one offensive regular.

Injuries piled up during a 16-14 win at San Diego last weekend, with strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh and inside linebacker Keith Brooking going down with shoulder ailments.

The defense already is missing end Marcus Spears, who is expected to sit out the final two preseason games and possibly the season opener at Washington on Sept. 12 after injuring his knee at training camp in San Antonio.

Spears’ replacement, Jason Hatcher, will be in the starting lineup again when the Cowboys (2-1) play at Houston (0-2) on Saturday night.

With Sensabaugh out for three to four weeks, second-year player Mike Hamlin lined up at strong safety with the first-team defense.

It was Hamlin’s first day of practice since he suffered a concussion and a neck injury on Aug. 12 against Oakland. He gained the starting nod over undrafted rookie Barry Church, who replaced Sensabaugh early against the Chargers.

“Mike Hamlin was doing well before he got banged up so he’ll start, although Barry Church did a nice job,” coach Wade Phillips said. “(Hamlin) is a smart guy and in all the (offseason workouts) he took a lot of reps and did a lot of good things during minicamp and into training camp. We’ve seen good things from him.”

Said secondary coach Dave Campo, “I feel comfortable with him because he played some last year.”

A fifth-round draft pick in 2009 from Clemson, Hamlin played in six games last season after breaking his right wrist in the preseason.

“This gives me a chance to showcase what I can do,” said Hamlin, who has good coverage skills.

Brooking’s injury isn’t considered serious, but the Cowboys are likely to keep him on the sideline for the rest of the preseason. In addition to the bum shoulder, he’s 34 and is coming off offseason knee surgery.

Second-round pick Sean Lee, who filled in for Brooking in San Diego, will start against the Texans, Phillips said. The Cowboys credited Lee for 13 tackles against the Chargers.

“He was all over the field,” Phillips said. “He made some plays a lot of people couldn’t make.”

Second-year player Robert Brewster started at right tackle in San Diego after Marco Colombo underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, but Alex Barron will start there in Houston.

Barron, a former starter with St. Louis, returned to practice Monday after being sidelined with an ankle injury.

Colombo is expected to miss 10-14 days. Montrae Holland is filling in at left guard for Kyle Kosier, who is out four to six weeks after sustaining a knee injury last week.

In assessing the play of the patchwork offensive line last weekend, Phillips said, “They picked up a lot of blitzes and we were more solid in our protection.”